Starfighter Jock

If there is a legal dispute taking place, how did Border acquire the molds for the kit, purchased from WnW, or pirated from the manufacturing company producing the kit in China? This is getting interesting. KJ

Pete, is that Tamiya TS-71 Smoke Gray or the PS-31 Smoke Lexan? Your results are outstanding! KJ

Thanks! I am about ready to laydown some primer and paint on the resin intakes and AUMR intake ramps before permanently installing them. Planning on keeping the paint as thin as possible and building it up slowly just so all the fine detail does not get obliterated. Will be posting photos of those painted up soon. KJ

Another Sunday afternoon at the workbench, I will just call this one some progress. Lower fuselage sides are now permanently attached with plenty of gap filling super glue used on the backside of the joints for reinforcement as there was quite a bit of stress on these getting it all to fit. Also I have the upper fuselage and resin intakes dryfitted, and overall, I am satisfied with the fit but there are numerous joints and seams to sand and fill to get it all blended in. Some is just the nature of the how the kit was designed, and some are building errors made by yours truly. I also have the Aires F/A-1C cockpit cleaned up and dryfitted into the nose section. As the set comes with the correct instrument panel details for either the A or C, I decided to go with it as I liked the detail in this set much better than the Avionix’s set. Moving on, breaking out the Tamiya putty, MS 500 and the sanding sticks! KJ

Sure, I will describe the process I used on these. First, I lightly sanded the back of the PE piece and also the resin intake contact surface just to rough it up and provide a better surface for the glue to adhere to. I then brushed on good coat of the MIG Ammo Ultra Glue (fantastic stuff) as it allows you to slide the piece around for a bit to get everything aligned just right without drying to quickly. Once I was satisfied with the position, I clamped the PE piece at the top of the intake ramp, worked the PE piece down on the resin intake, then clamped the lower edge. After letting it dry for a couple of hours, I removed the clamps and went around all the edges with super thin cyanoacrylate glue, just letting the joint draw it in. Did this about three or four times until the joint would not take any additional glue. Once dried, I lightly sanded all the edges, this smooths everything out and blends the two parts into one solid surface. So far it appears to be holding up well, I have handled the intakes several times, even dropped one onto the workbench and the bonding surfaces held up and did not split. Note: I did not apply the ultra glue to the perforated vent areas on the intake as I did not want the risk of any glue plugging up those beautiful tiny venting holes. The purpose of the Ultra Glue is just to get the PE piece firmly attached to the resin part, I am relying on the cyanoacrylate to make the strong bond. KJ

A very well dressed Hornet! ....... Great looking model! KJ

Great looking Hornet, love the weathering!

They are still in business, I recently ordered a couple of there 1/48 A-10 and 1/32 Super Hornet louvers and meshes sets, they just discontinued the set for the 1/32 F/A-18C/D. Not sure if they will ever do a second run of this set or not, suppose it just depends if the demand for them exists or not. KJ

That is not good, it is a excellent set. Fortunately I ordered three sets from them a few years ago, so I have two more in my part drawers that I will use at some point in the future. I would still like to build a CF-18 and the F/A-18D sometime in the future. Hopefully AMUR will do another run of this set down the road.

Quiet Sunday afternoon spent at the workbench. Aires wheel wells are now installed into the lower fuselage, along with the Quickboost APU exhaust set. I also installed the A.M.U.R. Reaver splitter plates to the Dmold Modelworks intakes. I have to say, this PE set is just excellent. Etched onto 0.05 mm thickness steel sheet. It is super thin yet very strong, so much so, my curved scalpel blade would not cut through the thin fret attachment point, I had to break out my PE scissors, which worked well. As you can see from my photos, the detail is astounding, just don't think it gets much better than that. Cheers! KJ

Thanks Joe, I even my pitot's and AOA's screwed up on this post. SNAFU KJ

Rainer, You are absolutely correct, I went back and looked at a nose on view of same aircraft, of which I should have done in the first place, it is in fact the AOA probe, located right where it should be on both the port and starboard sides. Kind of a "open mouth, insert foot" moment. Going back and looking at the zoomed view I posted, I can see the probe now, just very distorted and washed out from zooming in, and maybe I need to get new eyeglasses. Next time I will look at ALL my reference photos before posting. Thanks all! KJ

Not absolutely certain that is what it is, should be a AOA probe at that location. But from the zoomed in view, it does not look like any probe I have seen used on US aircraft. This is the only starboard view I have of this particular aircraft, so just guessing at it at this point. Kirk

Maru, I believe you are correct, here is a link the system. Thanks AN/ALR-67(V)3 Radar Warning Receiver | Raytheon

Looking at this USMC upgraded F/A-18A+, it has been refitted with the C/D type mesh ventilation screens along with what I believe is an antenna or receiver that I cannot find any reference on. Anyone know what this is? Kirk

(Photos Credit: Seaforces.org) After a long break from doing any serious model building, and since we are moving into the fall/winter season here in northern Michigan where I live, I have some regenerated mojo to spend some time at the workbench and get my model building hobby back into forward gear. After looking through my kit collection and all the aftermarket stuff I have collected over time, the Academy F/A-18 Hornet grabbed my attention, along with Flying Leathernecks USMC F/A-18A/C “Hornets Swarm” decal sheet. I had my subject, a F/A-18A+ assigned to VMFA-142 during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2005. Specifically, BuNo 162469 “212”. As the building of the Academy kit has been covered in-depth in both book and forum formats over the years, I am not going to present a blow-by-blow build report, just going to highlight what I am doing with the kit as I move through this work in process. That said, here is a listing of the products I intend to use on this build; Academy 1/32 F/A-18C Hornet kit. Avionix - F/A-18A Cockpit w/ Tail Fin Conversion set. Legend Productions - SJU-5/6 Seat . Aires - F/A-18 Wheel bays set. Quickboost – F/A-18 APU starter, Access panels, Lex Fences and APX-IFF Antenna sets. A.U.M.R. Reaver - F/A-18C/D Louvers and Meshes set. Eduard - F/A-18 Interior & Exterior PE sets. Dmold Modelworks - F/A-18 Profiled Intake and F/A-18C Top Panel sets. Rhino Modelworks - F/A-18A/B/C/D Exhaust set. Flying Leathernecks - F/A-18A/B Pylons, F/A-18A Tail Stiffeners, F/A-18A/B/C/D HUD and HUD Glass sets. Flying Leathernecks - USMC F/A-18A/C in Combat “Hornets Swarm” Decal Sheet. Let the progress begin…………………….. Kirk Johnston (KJ)

Excited to see a new 1/32 Phantom kit like this come on the market, long over due. Once we have it in our hands, there may be a lot of 1/32 Tamiya Phantom kits, resin and PE detail sets being offered up for sale at deep discount prices, then again maybe not. Time will tell. KJ

Thanks Jennings, explains why I have never located photo(s) of the pod being carried anywhere but those stations. Kirk

Thanks Tony, I do have Jennings Wolfpack F-4C decal set which is excellent, and I assumed the outboard wing pylon was the only option for carrying the pod, or boat anchor as Olds referred to it. Kirk

Looking over some photos of the early F-4C's in service during the war, was the fuselage center pylon ever setup to carry a ECM pod on the centerline, or was only the outboard wing pylons able to mount the pod? Have not located any actual in service photo(s) that would confirm if this was a possible combat loadout possibility. Thanks for info on the subject. Kirk

Lately I have been using the AK Interactive Gauzy Intermediate clear coat. Very impressed with the product, thins down with acrylic thinner and self levels when applied. Provides a very tough and super clear finish which can be futher enhanced with a final sanding with 8000 or higher micro sanding sheets.

The pinnacle of craftsmanship. Well done John. Kirk

I have the Revell M262A-1 on the bench currently, having worked on the Trumpeter kit several years ago, I op for the newer Revell kit. Does have it's fit and shape issues, but not as difficult to correct as the Trumpeter kit, particularly the Trumpeter mad riveter did not descend on it with obscene sunken rivets all over it. My opinion anyway.

You mean it's not 1/32........